HOW ELON MUSK BEAT MISERY TO SUCCEED

In this inspiring episode of 3 Point Inspiration, host Bessy Ebule delves into the extraordinary journey of Elon Musk, a man who turned a troubled childhood into a legacy of groundbreaking success. Discover the three powerful strategies that helped him rise above misery, rejection, and doubt to revolutionize electric vehicles and space exploration industries.

Learn how taking calculated risks, ignoring the naysayers, and thinking outside the box propelled Elon to become one of the most influential visionaries of our time. This episode isn’t just about Elon—it’s about how you can apply these lessons to transform your own life and achieve greatness.

Tune in for a powerful mix of courage, resilience, and actionable wisdom! Don’t forget to subscribe and share this episode to inspire others.

Transcript

WHY ELON MUSK BEAT MISERY TO SUCCEED

Did you know that Elon Musk had a miserable childhood?

When you hear of Elon Musk, you may think of the sound of rockets shooting into the sky or the picture of a guy who became a billionaire at 30 or the guy behind the electric car Tesla. 

Hey, welcome back to 3 Point inspiration where we discuss courage, resilience, and grit. My name is Bessy Ebule.

 In this episode, we’ll look at three strategies from Elon’s life that helped him succeed despite the misery and show you how to apply them to your life so you too can succeed. 

NUMBER ONE

Take calculated risks

Elon was born in South Africa in 1971 into a wealthy family. His father was an engineer and property developer while his mother worked as a model and dietitian. But, the wealth and comfort in the family could not hold it together as his parents divorced when he was 10 years old! Elon lived primarily with his father after the divorce, and it was a decision he would later regret.

 But there was something about Elon, he had an aptitude for reading and learning especially in technology and innovation. He was a voracious reader and recalls how he read the encyclopedia because he had run out of things to read.

 At the age of 10 he had developed an interest in computing and video games. He bought his first computer from his allowance he had saved up and taught himself programming.  By the age of 12, he successfully sold his first computer program which he wrote and called Blastar for $500. Despite this success at such an early age, his childhood was miserable as neither school nor his home was fun to be in! 

 At school, he was brutally bullied by other kids who would beat him up so badly he could barely talk. He would then be chased around by a gang and if he went into hiding, they would lure him out and beat him up again. In one incident with a fellow student, Elon was beaten and pushed down concrete steps. He suffered serious injuries which led to his hospitalisation.  

 If Elon was dreaming of some respite when he got home, it was not to be and the situation was probably worse as he had to face the torture from his father who thought he was stupid and would not amount to anything in life. But Elon managed to struggle through all these rejection, bullying, and abuses until the age of 17 when he made the decision to leave South Africa, partly to avoid mandatory military service because of his dislike for apartheid in the country. 

 Elon had to take a risk, but the risk also had to be well calculated. So, he decided to go to Canada since his mother was Canadian. This was not a shot in the air as his plan was to ease his eventual immigration to the United States. He studied at the University of Pretoria for five months before leaving for Canada. 

 When Elon arrived in Canada in 1989, he worked odd jobs in farms and in a lumber mill. At this time, he also experimented with spending just one dollar a day on groceries. In 1990, he entered Queen’s University in Ontario and two years later got his desire and transferred to the University of Pennsylvania in the United States where he earned degrees in Physics and Economics.  

 You don’t have to remain in one spot all your life. If you look for it, you will find opportunities that you can seize to improve your quality of life. It may not be having a  pass into the country of your dream like Elon, but it may be a gift that you have. The ability to organise, play sports, or teach people complex subjects in such a way they understand easily. 

 If Elon had stayed in South Africa, perhaps, he may not have been as successful. But the turning point came when he had to take the risk. The risk of either remaining in oblivion or moving into limelight. He calculated well and today he is the richest man in the world.

 Think about this and ask yourself, are you willing to take the risk to go after your passion, launch the business, or relocate to a more suitable environment where you can thrive?

 NUMBER TWO

IGNORE THE NAYSAYERS

Elon had a crowd of people doubting his ability to make it in life despite his intelligence and innovative spirit. His father did not believe in him and when he knew Elon was traveling to Canada said it was a bad idea and he was never going to make it. Elon not only went to Canada, but eventually migrated to the United States which had always been his goal.

In 1995, Elon was admitted to a graduate program in materials science but did not enrol. Instead, he went on to start his first company Zip2, which provided online content publishing software for news organizations. At this time, he was sharing a small apartment with his brother. They had one computer and Elon would code all night seven days a week. 

Although it was a huge success, Elon faced scepticism from investors and industry experts, who thought he was too young and inexperienced to make it big. He was 24 years old at the time but instead of giving up, he went on!

In 1999, Elon co-founded X.com, which later became PayPal, an online payment system that would change the way people shop online. Once again, he faced stiff competition and skepticism. But despite these obstacles, Elon persevered, and in 2002, PayPal was acquired by eBay for a staggering $1.5 billion. Elon made $165 million from the acquisition but still, he didn't stop there.

Elon’s next venture was SpaceX, a private aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company. Its goal was to reduce space transportation costs and enable the colonization of Mars. Again, many thought Elon was crazy, but he was undeterred. In 2004, Musk also co-founded Tesla, which would go on to become one of the most successful electric vehicle manufacturers in the world. It seemed as if skepticism and opposition inspired him the more. 

And then in 2008, Musk was on the brink of bankruptcy. Both Tesla and SpaceX were struggling financially—Tesla faced production delays and skepticism about the viability of electric vehicles, while SpaceX had failed three rocket launches in a row. Musk had invested nearly all his personal fortune into keeping both companies afloat, with no guarantee of success.

But in a twist of fate, Tesla became the world’s leading electric vehicle manufacturer, and SpaceX revolutionized space travel with reusable rockets. SpaceX succeeded on its fourth rocket launch, winning a a $1.6 billion contract by  NASA to transport astronauts to the International Space Station. That secured its future.  while Tesla received funding from investors that saved the company from collapse.

 Tesla then unveiled the Roadster, its first electric sports car, which catapulted the company into the limelight. SpaceX also achieved a major breakthrough, becoming the first privately funded company to launch a liquid-fueled rocket into orbit. These milestones marked a turning point in Elon's career, and his net worth soared. 

By 2010, Tesla had become so successful that it made Elon a billionaire at just 30 years old. Elon’s hard work, vision, and perseverance had finally paid off.

Many industry experts doubted Elon’s’s ambitious goals, from making electric cars mainstream to colonizing Mars. Tesla, in particular, was widely criticized, with analysts predicting the company would fail. SpaceX was dismissed by skeptics who doubted the feasibility of reusable rockets. But Elon proved all the naysayers wrong!

What would have happened if Elon had given in to the doubters that said, you are not going to become anything in life? You are too young to become successful? Your idea is dumb?  

 Everything worthwhile you commit to will attract some criticism even from those who are closest to you. It almost seems like a test that all successful people had to face. The question is, will you give in or ignore them?

You may have started a side hustle and there’s no sales yet! You may have invested in a degree and there’s no job yet. You may have an idea which nobody seems to be buying.

Here’s the thing!

If you are sure of that idea and you believe in it, it’s time to ignore the naysayers. Don’t throw your dream away because other people say you can’t make it. Henry Ford said, When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.

Hey, before we go on to the third strategy, please follow the channel to help us grow. On this channel, we focus on strategies that made ordinary people succeed and how you can apply them to your own life so you too can succeed.

NUMBER 3 

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Without a doubt, Elon Musk is a genius. Given the revolutionising impact he has made on multiple industries from electric cars to space exploration. Certainly, his entrepreneurial spirit and relentless pursuit of his goals played a huge role in his success. But it's also his ability to think outside the box, to innovate, and to take risks that set him apart from others. 

Elon said he always wanted to be involved in things that would change the world and that the things he does seem like the natural thing to do. Common Elon, you mean flying into space is a natural thing to do?

This might sound very challenging for some. How does your vision to start a local charity change the world? How far can the small capital you have right now go in changing anything? How can you get the kind of connections or intelligence that Elon has?

The good news is that you don’t have to be Elon Musk to change the world! You just have to be you and believe in that burning desire to cause change even if it is just for one person. 

Elon himself says while he does not think everybody should be doing the same thing, he believes that people can choose not to be ordinary. That’s where you are true to yourself, and success comes.

Thanks for listening and let me know in the comments below what do you admire most about Elon’s journey to becoming a billionaire? 

Please follow the channel, like and share this episode if you have found any value in it. And if you want to learn more about the strategies of successful people, listen to my other episodes. 

Always remember, with God, all things are possible. I’ll see in you in the next episode. God bless you.